Tastes

Neat. Neck pour. The youngness is there and inescapable but there is something really nice behind it. It’s a laffy taffy note, blend of banana and strawberry I think. Next note I get is hot dry wood, which I get in some Texas whiskeys. Rye is really starting to emerge. I struggle to find the bourbon in this compared to the rye but I like it as a three year rye if you told me that (especially at the price.) For 90 proof it is surprising oily and thick in texture. The initial sweetness on the tongue is like coconut water. The laffy taffy then returns next and leaves the legs with a cinnamon and rye. So there is a bubble gum note that I am not a fan of that typically emerges from new craft distilleries. This laffy taffy note doesn’t turn me off as much. I kind of like it. At $30ish bucks, this is an interesting Whiskey to try but not a great whiskey compared to other bourbon/rye blends (but those are two to three times the price too!)

Neat. Neck pour of 2020. Never had Boureye before this but knowing it was a blend of old MGP intrigued me. Surprising amount of orange zest on the nose followed by vanilla. The bourbon side comes out the longer I sit with it, caramel and baking spices. Cinnamon roll with icing is becoming more predominant too. Keeps bouncing between the rye and bourbon side, that is pretty neat and balanced! Bit thin in the palate. Cinnamon and brown sugar sweetness up front, then hits you strong with that orange and rye spice. This orange is surprisingly strong. Just like the nose, the bourbon side starts coming out the longer you are with it. Vanilla, caramel, and light oak. This is fun! Other than the texture being a bit thin, I liked the rest of the experience. Lives up to the name as it bounces between Rye and Bourbon qualities.

Neat. Neck pour. Party Source 5 year at 57%. Deep caramel, almost to the point of a salted caramel flan. Very rich. Gram cracker crust. Slight green tea note. Hint of cherry and cream. That salted caramel really dominates and it’s an impressive note. Mouth feel is medium with a syrupy granular texture. Brown sugar and burnt caramel gives way to an even stronger salted caramel punch, gram cracker, hint of toffee. The cherries come back on the legs. First impression, this is the best young MGP I have. That rich, vibrant, layered caramel experience isn’t one I recall from other MGP. There is a hint of the youngness on the nose but no where else. I’d have to blind this against Mic Drop 3.0 or a Traverse City pick to be sure, but I think this is the best sub-six year MGP I have had. There was a Backbone 5 year GGG pick that I loved but I don’t think it had flavors this vibrant even at 137 proof. Nice work on this pick Party Source!

Neat. Fresh bottle. Been awhile since I opened a McKenna 10 year. Delicious oak with a hint of peanuts shells on the nose. The age is really coming through on this pour. Orange peel and burnt caramel. The oak is morphing into this delightful milk chocolate. Little hint of pepper and mint. Oh hell yeah. This is by far the best McKenna I have had. Immediately on the tongue, the brown sugars, cinnamon come together to form a pronounced cinnamon roll. All those flavors from the nose start coming forward. Burnt caramel, orange peel and chocolate. Legs bring back those intense brown sugars and cinnamon from the start and they linger for quite a while. That peanut comes around on the taste the more I sit with it. This is barrel 6716. It’s awesome. I am shocked. The last McKenna I had was a dud but this one restores my faith.

Mythical Wilderness Troll pick. 4 year 4 month. Cinnamon and extra burnt caramel. Baking spices. Caramelized Peaches and apricots. Vanilla frosting. Dusty corn. Raisins. Just a hell of a lot going on. Slight hint of green youngness and the alcohol has a bite on the nose. Very oily and viscous. Very sweet overall. Burned, almost rock candy like caramel. The fruit is a darker cherry than what I was getting on the nose. That vanilla frosting note is still quite strong too. The lighter caramelized apricots come back on legs and finish. Hands down the best Wilderness Trail pick I have had. The youngness only shows itself in the alcohol and slight bite. Otherwise it is all just these deep delicious dessert flavors. The sweetness on this one is so over the top. It’s straight candy awesomeness.

Neat. Nose is sweet but also spicy for a wheater. Black pepper and cinnamon jump out at me first. Nice charred caramel. Dusty corn with a bit of funk. I like this nose. Nice viscous and oil to it. Yep that is Larceny. Full disclosure, not a fan of base Larceny. I like this better but those notes I don’t like are here. Even just hitting the tongue, it’s a damn Red Hot. Sugar and hot cinnamon. Some nice caramel and oak is there after I fight my way through the Red Hot cinnamon. Finish is medium but still cinnamon. This brand in general just doesn’t fit my palate and profile I guess. I don’t foresee hunting Larceny releases the same way I do ECBP. Just not for me.

Neat. Party Source pick, neck pour. Brighter than I was expecting for 14 years. Fresh raspberries and strawberries covered in whip cream. Pie crust, buttery pie crust. I found the oak but I had to really hunt for it. Vanilla and cherry. Delightful nose. Crisp, creamy ripe fruit pie with a side of natural vanilla ice cream. Damn it that is good. The mouth feel is perfect. Oily, rolls over the tongue and the flavors just take over. Cherry and vanilla sweetness. The flavors just keep coming and coming. Cherry on cherry on cherry slides into the vanilla and then the oak emerges but it’s still in the form of the buttery, slightly burned crust wrap around everything. The cherry and vanilla last for as long as you let them too. Oh man. I’ve heard that you need to be careful with these BC14 being over oaked but I can’t see it in this. The lack of oak and caramel characteristics is a bit jarring but the cherry, fruit, vanilla and pie crust combo is killer. These Boone County single barrels continue to be my personal favorites in the collection.

Neat. Neck pour. Ohio Rich Pig. Nose is very interesting. Strong cereal and rye bread. Slight vanilla. Black pepper. Cinnamon covered pear. Proof will catch up to you (118) if you aren’ careful. Transitioning into maple covered pancakes even. Nice creamy, oily feel. Brown sugar and honey on the tongue. Transitions to a big rye blast which lingers on the legs. The finish brings in a nice vanilla and baking spice. Little hint of dill at the front on subsequent sips. I can see why this one in the series is called “Rich Pig.” The flavors on the taste are very dense and pronounced. It’s a very delicious rye. I believe I have had better Whistle Pig Single Barrels though. Could be an unfair comparison being this is a neck pour. If this one does improve with a little time on the shelf, it has a chance to be special.

Neat. Neck pour. Tons of dusty corn upfront on the nose. Burned caramel and honey graham cracker transitions to vanilla and black berry. It’s a very inviting nose. Less oak than I was expecting. I might guess this is 7 to 8 years blind versus 10+. A bit watery on the tongue. Brown sugar and berry dominate as it is super sweet and pretty bright on the tongue. It’s delicious and balanced. Vanilla frosting on sea salt caramel. The oak is finally showing up on the legs as a chocolate and it’s very drying and tannic. Surprisingly long legs mostly due to the saliva fighting against the drying sensation. Going in, I have always been nervous about the low proof on this one. The thin texture doesn’t mean lack of flavor or short finish though. The flavors it has are just standard bourbon flavors, but it’s perfectly balanced and has flavors for days. Might be the most flavorful lower proof bourbon I can think of. I’d have to jump up to Wild Turkey 17 maybe but that is very rich and oily too. Sitting with it for twenty minutes now, it is REALLY opening up. I suggest letting this sit in the glass if you get a bottle. The nose is now incredible with such a rich oak emerging. I could nose this all night. A high amount of cinnamon is now coming out the taste too. This is a fun one to spend some time with!

Neat. Neck pour. Cork N Bottle 10 year SiB. Wow, I would mistake this for a rye. I am so surprised by this nose. It makes me think WhistlePig it is so rye forward. Behind the dill and rye, I get a hint of mint, creamy caramel and butterscotch, an amazing vanilla, black pepper. I love this but shocked it is not a rye. Nice, creamy mouth feel. Vanilla and black pepper on the tongue. Transitions to caramel, cherries, dill, vanilla, butterscotch. Definitely a more familiar MGP bourbon on the taste. The prominent dill is still a unique characteristic of this barrel. The dill really punches you in the face on subsequent sips. I know this is the high rye mash, but it is so rye forward that I would guess it’s 75%+ rye. Not barely rye like Pikesville, but a vast majority rye. The cherry and butterscotch of the taste ground it into familiar MGP territory. Not the most delicious MGP I have, but maybe the most interesting.